An ‘utterly callous’ drug dealer has been jailed for a minimum term of 20 years for the murder of a Sheffield dad on New Year’s Eve in a horrifying street attack.

Idris Sadiq, aged 31 and of Darnall Road, was handed a life sentence for his role in the killing of Zabair Hussain on December 31 at around 11.20pm.

Zabair Hussain was murdered on Staniforth Road

Heroin and crack cocaine dealer Sadiq was part of a brutal attack on Mr Hussain in which he was repeatedly hit with a baseball bat, punched and kicked before being left unconscious in the middle of Staniforth Road in Darnall.

As Sadiq and two other men ran from the scene, Mr Hussain was run over by a passing car just seconds later.

Members of Mr Hussain’s family shouted ‘Scumbag’ at Sadiq as judge Mr Justice Nicol jailed him for life with a minimum term of 20 years at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday morning.

Sadiq stared at the ground throughout the sentencing hearing and showed no reaction as his jail term was announced.

Justice Nicol said while he accepted defence submissions that Sadiq had not intended to kill Mr Hussain but told the defendant this mitigation was weakened by his ‘utterly callous behaviour in leaving Zabair senseless in the middle of a busy road where the danger of him being run over was, in your own words, ‘obvious’.’

Justice Nicol told Sadiq: “You were a drug dealer who traded in heroin and cocaine, two drugs to which Zabair was addicted.

“The truth was you were ‘the’ drug dealer in the area. As you said yourself, ‘Darnall was my patch’.”

Justice Nicol said Sadiq had been involved in the attack with a man called Sohail Khan - who has now fled to Pakistan - and an unidentified third person. He said Mr Hussain had been involved in some form of conversation with at least Sohail Khan in the moments before the murder.

Justice Nicol said Sadiq, Khan and the third man had been heard to shout ‘What did you think you were doing?’ and ‘How did you think you could get away with that?’ as they pursued Mr Hussain down Staniforth Road a short time later with a baseball bat.

He said: “The precise cause of the grievance cannot be known but I’m sure it had something to do with your drug business.

You and the two other men caught up with Zabair and subjected him to a dreadful beating.

“He was hit with the baseball bat, kicked repeatedly and punched as well.

“Whether you yourself wielded the baseball bat doesn’t matter - you took part in the attack knowing it was being used.”

He said a post-mortem had indicated that Mr Hussain had suffered at least six blows to the head before he was hit by the car.

Speaking after the sentence, the family of Mr Hussain urged the Darnall community to help bring the two other men involved in his death to justice.

A statement from the family said: “The cruel and senseless manner in which Zabair was taken from us has torn us apart and we will never be the same again.

“The guilty verdict and the sentence passed have brought us some comfort.

“However, we continue to support South Yorkshire Police in their efforts to bring justice to the others involved in Zabair’s murder and we urge the community in Darnall to come forward with any information they may have.”

Police are trying to trace the silver/grey Peugeot 307 that was driven by Khan on the night, which has the registration number MC57 BZP.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Handley said: “We are yet to locate this car and it may yet hold vital clues for our investigation.

“If you are uncomfortable speaking directly to South Yorkshire Police, you can also ring Crimestoppers to pass information anonymously and in confidence by calling 0800 555 111.”

Three men, aged 35, 32 and 31, remain on bail in connection with the investigation.